1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to bobbers for attachment to fish lines, and pertains more particularly to a weighted bobber that shifts from a horizontal to a vertical position when a fish exerts a sufficient pull on the line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bobbers that tilt from a horizontal position to a vertical position when a fish takes the line are not new. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,870,520 was granted on Aug. 8, 1932 to Miles E. Loehr for "Fish Line Float." The float involves a ball-like cork member that can be manually slid along a slender body member into an appropriate position. No weight or extra mass is added to the cork member to counterbalance the weight of the line, sinker, hook and bait. Furthermore, the cork member is fragile and vulnerable to breakage, especially during storage with other items in a tackle box, if care is not exercised.
Considerably more elaborate tilting bobbers have been devised and examples of these appear in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 2,493,971 issued on Jan. 10, 1950 to Elmer G. Johnson for "Bobber for Fishing Lines," U.S. Pat. No. 2,547,308 granted on Apr. 3, 1951 to John H. Dean for "Illuminous Fishing Float," U.S. Pat. No. 3,323,247 granted on June 6, 1967 to Ernest E. Murray for "Fishing Bobber," and U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,795 issued on Sept. 3, 1974 to Henry S. Wolfe for "Fishing Float." All of these bobbers have common shortcomings in that they are relatively complex, not readily castable and relatively costly. Certain of them are not as sensitive or responsive to slight fish pulls as they should be. Hence, a definite need exists for a bobber that orients itself, changing from a horizontal position to a vertical position, when even slight pulls on the line are exerted by a fish prior to the fish actually seizing or taking the hook.